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(TRENTON, NJ – March 6, 2023) The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, February 23, for its Mobile Academy and Training and Development Institute (TDI) at AACCNJ’s headquarters in Trenton, New Jersey. AACCNJ Founder, President and CEO John E. Harmon, Sr., IOM; State Senator Shirley Turner; State Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson; Trenton City Council President Teska Frisby; AACCNJ Chair of the Board of Directors Stan Prater; and AACCNJ staff, members, and neighbors attended the event. Two large vans linked together by a traditional ceremonial red ribbon symbolized the mobility and breadth of each initiative.
With state funding supported by Turner, Reynolds-Jackson, and Assembly members Reginald Atkins, Linda Carter, Angela McKnight, Shanique Speight, and Britnee Timberlake, AACCNJ created the Mobile Academy and TDI to establish and maintain a level and equitable economic playing field throughout the state of New Jersey by augmenting and supplementing the training needs of New Jersey’s underserved labor and business communities. The Mobile Academy and TDI will leverage AACCNJ’s relationships with government, educational institutions, corporations, and community-based organizations to develop a talent pool to address workforce needs and build career pathways for mutual success. For example, through AACCNJ’s programs, such as its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and its Black Business Expo, the Mobile Academy and TDI will engage major corporations, like the members of AACCNJ’s President’s Club, to develop direct pipelines that connect trained individuals to job opportunities.
“There are several underperforming sectors in the New Jersey economy. We now have the resources, material, thought leadership, and professionalism to really go into these communities and mitigate some of these systemic challenges,” stated Harmon following the cutting of the ribbon.
TDI targets unemployed and underemployed workers, adults seeking to improve their employable skills, recent high school graduates who are not actively pursuing a college education, adolescents who are aging out of the juvenile justice system, veterans who are returning from active duty, and incarcerated persons who are preparing for reentry into society. Through the TDI, individuals gain access to resources for basic skills, workforce readiness, and technical and vocational training. TDI uses a Learning Management System to create and distribute content, engage learners, and track progress. In addition to offering its own training programs, TDI provides scholarships for certifications through TDI’s relationships and collaborations with community colleges and vocational trade schools.
The Mobile Academy primarily focuses on children, teens, family units, and college students. Offered in person at churches, community centers, schools, parks, and other venues throughout New Jersey, and sometimes virtually, the Mobile Academy will facilitate workshops, seminars, and panel discussions that enhance the competencies of New Jersey’s minority residents and minority-owned businesses while ultimately improving the economic competitiveness of the state. Facilitated by esteemed subject matter experts and thought leaders, the Mobile Academy’s topics include, among others: work-readiness training and etiquette; college-preparedness; effective résumé writing and interviewing skills; financial literacy; entrepreneurship; homeownership, and leadership skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, personal branding, cultural competencies, and ethics.
“This is something that we need to do because there are so many people who are underserved in our communities, and this is at a time when the economy needs more employees,” said Turner.
Frisby, Prater, and Reynolds-Jackson echoed the sentiments of Harmon and Turner. Each acknowledged that the Mobile Academy and TDI will well-position AACCNJ to help take New Jersey’s economy to the next level.
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